EPIC Events

Greg King is the 2016 Sempervirens Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. In addition to discovering Headwaters Forest and leading the fight to save the largest remaining patch of old-growth redwoods in private hands, Greg has worked as a journalist, activist, and environmental professional, including founding and running the Siskiyou Land Conservancy. His lifetime of work is an inspiration to us all. The following excerpt is taken from an interview with Greg from the EcoNews Report on KHSU. Greg will be receiving the Sempervirens Award at EPIC’s Fall Celebration, at the Mateel Community Center on Friday, November 4th 2016, with musical performances by Joanne Rand, Woven Roots and Object Heavy. Click here to purchase your tickets to the event.

Natalynne: You’ve devoted over 30 years to the environmental movement, what caused you to become an environmentalist?

Greg: When I got out of college in 1985, I started to work for a newspaper called, “The Paper.” I discovered that this beautiful second-growth redwood grove on the Russian River had been flagged for logging. So that was when I got into investigating timber politics and that led me to understand logging laws and timber harvest laws. I discovered that Louisiana Pacific was regularly violating state logging laws. I learned by talking to Sharon Duggan, EPIC’s attorney, that this was how things were going in timber politics.

Then, in late-1985 Maxxam took over Pacific Lumber, and everyone knew that Pacific Lumber had the world’s largest ancient redwood groves left on earth that weren’t in parks. So again, I was talking to Sharon and I said “I think I want to look into that” and she said “Yeah you probably should, somebody needs to look into that”—the takeover had just happened.

Early on in ‘86 it was clear that that was what was happening, this dismantling of the last ancient redwood grove on earth, with the complete rubber stamp of the state, and county officials just bending over for Maxxam. It was really actually disgusting how little internal dissention there was for what was clearly illegal logging and an illegal take over [of Pacific Lumber]. So I started writing to the Department of Forestry and going to Humboldt County in early ‘86 to explore the woods. I went for my first hike into the ancient redwoods held by Maxxam’s Pacific Lumber, in what we now call “Owl Creek Grove,” which was 1,000 acres of untouched ancient redwoods. I was so taken aback by the power of this place—I had been to redwood groves all of my life, and all of them had the mark of humanity, the trails, the signs etc.—but this was wild redwood forest, and I felt the difference. Then I realized that Maxxam was going log this place, so I came out of the woods prepared to stop them. That’s where I met Darryl Cherney, and he and I then co-founded Humboldt County EarthFirst! and we began to organize demonstrations.

N: In addition to the publication, what strategies were you and Darryl using to get this information out to the public?

G: By the mid- late ‘86 we myself, some Humboldt State students, and others, like Molokai, Larry Evans, Nina Williams, and Danielle Felipa, and several other people began mapping the redwood groves. In early 1987 we put out a publication called, “Old Growth in Crisis,” and the centerfold was a map showing the size and location of these groves for the first time in public. That was a significant event to get this information out. There were the demonstrations; the first ones were in Arcata, San Francisco and Scotia in ‘86. We were taught how to climb trees by rock-climbing guru, Kurt Newman, so that’s what we did, tree sitting in large part. In May of 1987 we had a national day of direct action were we had activists storm Pacific Lumber and Maxxam sites in Houston, Wall Street, San Francisco, and Humboldt County. We did a lot of direct action—no equipment sabotage ever, no tree spiking ever—we only put ourselves on the line, tree sitting, sitting in front of bulldozers, rallying, [and] protesting. We did a lot of public outreach, a lot of good professional work to let people know what was at stake.

N: You were saying there was lets just say bullying by the Department of Forestry, and this political will to take out the forests. What do you think that was based on, why was the state rubber-stamping this? Did they have something to gain from allowing this to happen?

G: I think the incentive came from the network. I hate to use the term “good ol’ boy network,” it’s cliché, but they all went to the same forestry school mostly here at HSU. Basically the idea was to not disallow logging, and not to disallow maximum profits, so we continued to see that, and we understood that this was the way it had always been. Really it is extraordinary to me that this [was a] kind of criminal enterprise—and that’s really what people have to understand, that this was a criminal enterprise from the beginning from the takeover of PL, all the way through to the logging, through the liquidation of the assets, the bulking of the share holders.

Maxxam had excellent attorneys, they easily determined that we are going to be able to do what we want in the forest without any oversight or impediment of the state. I don’t think they expected EPIC though. I mean EPIC really was heroic, the efforts of EPIC at that time. Cecilia Lanman—I mean you can’t pull out just one person, so many people, including this great volunteer run board of directors that still continues today—but Cecilia just sticking with it, through difficult times, unpaid, and just not letting it go, and that made a huge difference.

N: So bringing that up, there was a very symbiotic relationship between EPIC and Humboldt Earth first, could you describe what that relationship was like?

G: The relationship was always necessarily kept in a philosophical realm and, physical in terms of it being the same issues. But of course EPIC could not do anything with illegal activity, and we were getting arrested all the time, for good reason. The relationship between EPIC and EF! was mostly philosophical, but also physical in which we were fighting for the same thing; the last of the redwoods, and not just the last of the redwoods, the last of the salmon, the last of the steelheads, the last of the marbled murrelet’s, the last of this type of habitat. Now what we need to do is lock up these “lesser cathedrals,” a horrible name for these ancient redwoods left just outside of Headwaters Forests Preserve. These are about 1,500-2,000 acres maybe of untouched redwoods, and a large swath of connected habitat land that needs to be protected very soon.

N: There’s definitely room for organizations like EPIC, Siskiyou Land Conservancy, and North Coast Regional Land trust to work with Humboldt Redwood Company to really lock up these lands. You’re now currently executive director of the Siskiyou Land Conservancy, can you describe the Siskiyou Land Conservancy?

G: We aim to create a land trust that would take title to, and hold conservation easements on, private properties not served by other land trusts — usually meaning small parcels that hold, and connect, important riparian and terrestrial habitats. In this work we have been successful. Siskiyou Land Conservancy also is the only organization dedicated to eliminating excessive pesticide use on bottomlands that surround the vital Smith River estuary, in Del Norte County. Nobody else has uncovered this terrible crime against the people in the environment there like we have, and we’ve been doing since ’04. And now we’re starting to get somewhere with the state, and the federal government is doing an investigation as well, so things are progressing.

N: So you have been on the front lines of the environmental movement for 30 years, and we know there is a lot of burn out in this line of work. How did you manage to sustain your drive for so long, and do you have any recommendations to young activists for sustaining their fight.

G: I have ebbed and flowed a lot. But what sustains me is to just get out in it, as Ed Abbey and David Foreman both kind of recommended. You have to enjoy the wild, in order to protect the wild.

We need you to show your support for Greg King, EPIC and for the beloved forests of the North Coast. Help us fill the Mateel Community Center to meet our fundraising goals for the year, by purchasing your tickets now to join us on Friday, November 4th for EPIC’s 39th Annual Fall Celebration. Act now by clicking here or on the image below. Thanks!

Former U.S. President, and patriarch of American Wilderness, Theodore Roosevelt, said, “Believe that you can do something and you are half way there.” On a recent Saturday, seventeen-and-a-half years after the Headwaters Forest Reserve was established as a part of the BLM National Conservation Lands system, I had the distinct honor of guiding a group of individuals who had fought hard to save this place from the saw. This was the very first hike ever into Headwaters for some of the 50 hikers who had spearheaded the Campaign to Save Headwaters Forest from 1986-1999.

There is so much that remains so completely unlikely and unbelievable about the Headwaters Forest Reserve, for myself, and for just about everyone else I spoke with on the hike and over that weekend. First, the fact that there is such a thing as the Headwaters Forest Reserve is still very astounding and quite unbelievable in many respects. And the fact that there is the Reserve, and that the Reserve has a community-docent program, and that I, of all people am one of them, is a story that had it been told by basecamp bonfires 20 years ago, simply no one, myself included, would have ever believed it.

I moved to Humboldt County in the spring of 1997, and almost immediately found myself embroiled in the struggle to Save Headwaters Forest; 19 years later, I was at the head of the line, opening the locked logging gate at Newburg Road in Fortuna, which had been the site of thousands of arrests over the two decades of the struggle. On this day I was there to legally take into the Reserve 50 of the people who worked to protect Headwaters many for whom it was the very first time.

I was quite moved and astounded to find that this tremendous community with a fighting spirit and a heart of gold was grateful that I am among those serving as an educational docent for Headwaters in the present-day. It seemed to give many comfort in knowing that the Reserve they fought so hard to create was in good hands, and that the spirit and legacy of the Campaign to Save Headwaters Forest is being carried forward in the Reserve, and on into the future.

As Margret Mead wrote, “Never doubt that a small, dedicated group of people can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” The Headwaters Forest Reserve is a testament to the spirit of this principle manifested, and for many of us that attended this hike into the old-growth, we have finally made it all the way home, at long last.

This Friday, concerned community members will be meeting to discuss impacts of the Westside project on our communities. In the coming days, the Klamath National Forest plans to auction off 14 timber sales, that have been analyzed as part of the Westside post-fire logging project, a large commercial salvage logging proposal that covers over 30,000 acres of management including logging on about 10,000 acres of forests affected by the Whites, Beaver and Happy Camp fires of 2014. Areas proposed for logging are adjacent to wilderness areas, the Pacific Crest Trail, within Wild and Scenic River corridors, critical habitat for coho salmon and northern spotted owls and wildlife corridors that are important for providing linkages between the islands of protected areas. The timber sales proposed in the Westside project are all located within the blue circle on the map (below). The Klamath National Forest has not yet released the Record of Decision, which was expected this week, and has not completed formal consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service. The Klamath National Forest has not yet received a water quality permit from the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Over the past year, our staff has read and commented on the Westside Environmental Impact Statement and attended the informational meetings put forward by the Klamath National Forest, and we have all agreed that the information and format that has been provided is less than helpful.

In order to better understand the landscape that will be affected by the proposed Westside Project, we have used the shape files for the project boundaries to illustrate aerial images from google earth. These maps more accurately depict the scale, magnitude and context of the proposed project by showing the project in relation to the watersheds that are at stake. These maps will be available at the community meeting.

The Karuk Alternative maps that were developed by the Karuk Tribe have proposed to reduce the project scope to focus on strategic ridge-top fuel breaks to protect rural communities so that fire can be reintroduced to the landscape. The Karuk Alternative is a third of the scale of the Klamath National Forest’s proposal.

Since the beginning of time, fire has shaped the landscape of the region, and it is well documented that cultural burning was used to thin the understory, and allow for healthy larger trees to thrive. prescribed fires were also used to encourage the growth of important resources such as acorns and bear grass, which is used by local tribes to make baskets. Over the last century, these mountains have endured the ecologically damaging practices of clear-cut logging, fire suppression, and plantation forestry, which shape most of the landscape we see today. If you live in or visit the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains and observe your surroundings, you have probably noticed the vicious cycle of:

1. clear-cut logging of the big old fire-resistant, shade-producing trees;

2. plantations that quickly become brush fields due to lack of funds to maintain them in an ongoing way;

3. fire suppression policy that continually increases the size and severity of fires that get away;

4. fire-fighting strategies that increase the size of the burned area; and

5. salvage sales that cost taxpayers more than the government makes on the sale, and in many cases leave huge amounts of slash on the ground, setting us up for the next fire. (And setting the fish up for a hot, sediment-choked, disease-prone environment.)

DIRECTIONS: Headed northeast on Highway 96, go one quarter mile past Orleans and cross the bridge over the Klamath. The parking lot is on the right hand side (Just after Red Cap Road). Cell phones and GPS Navigation systems do not work here, so you may want to map your route in advance. Allow ~2 hours of drive time from Arcata area.

Take Action Now:Bobcats are still being trapped throughout California, and their pelts are sold in the international fur trade market. Recent spikes in demand from countries like Russia and China have increased prices for bobcat pelts, resulting in a boom in bobcat trapping throughout the State of California.

On October 11 2013, the Governor approved the Bobcat Protection Act of 2013 (AB1213), which directs the California Fish and Game Commission to increase bobcat protections, and now the Commission is considering two options for bobcat trapping restrictions: Option 1 proposes a partial closure of the state to bobcat trapping by establishing closure boundaries around protected areas; and Option 2, which EPIC supports, would implement a complete ban on commercial trapping of bobcats throughout California.

The trapping industry has openly opposed the state wide ban, and will likely send a spokesperson to speak at the August 5th hearing in favor of bobcat trapping. This is why it is important for bobcat allies to make a presence and show the Fish and Game Commission that the overwhelming majority of people are in favor of a statewide ban. The law on the books allows bobcat trapping season to take place between November 24 and January 31, and anyone possessing an easy-to-obtain trappers’ license can trap as many bobcats as desired until a statewide total of 14,400 bobcats are killed for the season. The nearly unrestricted statewide cap is based on out of date population estimates from the 1970’s of 72,000 individuals. This baseline number is deeply troublesome. Over thirty years ago, in 1982, a court found that the science behind the 1970’s population estimate was too flawed to qualify as the basis for a bobcat management program. Yet, no additional surveys have been conducted since.

Bobcats are shy creatures that do not threaten public safety, and while no one knows what the current bobcat populations are, there is anecdotal evidence that trapping has greatly diminished localized bobcat populations, throwing ecosystems off kilter. In fact, the state legislature recognized that bobcats are important apex predators that play a significant role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem, reducing rodent populations and preying on populations of many animals that are considered “nuisance” animals such as raccoons, opossums and skunks. Bobcat trapping hurts more than bobcats; it hurts our forests and fragile ecosystems.

In addition to protecting bobcats for ecological reasons, there is a moral obligation to end the cruel and inhumane methods of killing bobcats. Because their pelts are worth more without bullet holes or other marks, trappers often strangle, stomp or bludgeon them to death. California should lead the nation and outlaw this cruel and harmful practice.Click here to take action now!

Someday our children will inherit this planet, so it is imperative that we teach them well and leave them with a healthy environment that they can thrive in. Last week, EPIC joined forces with the California Conservation Corps and the Watershed Stewardship Project and presented at Creek Days in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, and the week before, my colleagues Rob and Gisele presented at the Hoopa Fish Fair. These events are incredibly rewarding, and we all agreed, that we were constantly amazed by the wisdom the children shared.

As I set up my fourth to sixth grade classroom next to the “Tall Tree” I felt dwarfed by the magnificence of the towering old growth forest that surrounded me. The plaque in front of the tree said the tree was 42 feet around, and 359 feet tall, when it was measured in 1957. When a new group would come through, the children would all run over to the tree and plead with their chaperones to have their picture taken with the giant redwood.

After they explored the tall tree, I would call the children over to learn about forest ecology, how forests help keep the rivers healthy by keeping the water clean, preventing floods and providing shade, habitat and food for salmon, and how the salmon eventually become fertilizer for the forest. Then I expressed the importance of protecting wild places, because these trees would not be here if they were not protected.

I asked the children if they knew what advocacy was. None of them knew what it meant. I told them it was speaking on behalf of something. “For my work at EPIC it is speaking for the forests, rivers, fish and wildlife, because they can’t speak for themselves.” “You mean like the Lorax?” One of the kids asked. “Yes, just like the Lorax” I said. Showing them the photograph of the wolf rally and all of the signs people had made to advocate for wolves, I told them the story of how the gray wolf gained protections last year:

There is a lone wolf in Oregon that strayed from its pack, and began coming in and out of California. Upon learning of this wolf in the region, several ranchers and even public officials publically stated that they would kill it on sight if they found it. So we joined with a coalition of people and groups to get protections for the wolf so that if it came to California, it would be safe. At the wolf hearing my two-year old son stood up in front of the Fish and Game Commission during the public comment session in front of a packed house with hundreds of people and shouted into the microphone “Protect wolves!” As people teared up hearing the plea of a little boy who wants to see wolves protected, the next commenter announced that the lone wolf “Journey” has just been confirmed to have puppies!” The crowd rejoiced and soon after, the Commission voted 3-1 to grant wolves protections under the Endangered Species Act. Someone chimed in and said, “See, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can still make a difference.”

Next, I showed them the photographs of some the critters we advocate for in our region and asked them to choose one of the animals and make a poster for it. The things they came up with were so inspiring, I decided to bring them back to the office and begin sending them to decision-makers as issues come up relating to each animal.

I taught 180 students that day, and I learned from 180 students also. Now I’m hoping that the wisdom of these children will help to remind those in power of the importance of protecting wildlife and wild places for future generations.

Pickaxe: the Cascadian Free State Story will be screened at the Arcata Theatre Lounge Monday, May 4 from 7-9pm.

Pickaxe is a documentary that follows a group of activists in their direct action efforts to stop post-fire logging of an old growth forest in Warner Creek, Willamette National Forest, blockading the logging road and repelling the State Police. After the film, activist and director, Tim Ream will be Skyped in to answer questions and discuss current efforts to protect old-growth forests in the Klamath National Forest from the Westside Timber Sale – one of the largest timber sales ever proposed in U.S. History.

As a bonus, a new short film about the Westside Post-fire Logging Proposal produced by local film-maker Abianne Prince will also screened. See the trailer below.

$5 suggested donation at the door, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Pickaxe DescriptionThe film shows confrontations with disgruntled loggers, mass arrests and a 75 day hunger strike. Back at Warner Creek activists build teepees and remain a living blockade on the logging road through the winter and ten feet of snow. Political pressure begins to shift and the White House promises a deal but not before Federal Agents come to bust the camp and destroy the fort. The story resolves with incredible footage of a mass jail break-in and unconditional victory for the forest. This inspiring documentary is two years in the making, and crafted from footage shot by more than two dozen people involved in the struggle to save Warner Creek. Principal photography and direction are by guerilla videographer Tim Lewis, award winner at WorldFest in 1998. Codirector/producer Tim Ream was involved in the action on and off the screen. Running Time: 95 minutes.

Come celebrate your love for the planet by giving back! River cleanups are fun and satisfying, and we need your help to make these special places more beautiful. The third annual Earth Day cleanup and Hoedown will take place on Saturday, April 25. EPIC Volunteers are needed to help clean up the lower Mad River! The cleanup will take place in the morning, and the Hoedown will be in the afternoon from 2-6pm. Admission to the Hoedown will be free to cleanup volunteers or $5-10 sliding scale.

Eco-Flo Rafting Company will be providing two large rafts to take people down the Mad River to collect trash. We will be meeting at the Pump Station/ disc golf course off Warren Creek Road between Blue Lake and Arcata. Space is limited, so please RSVP with amber@wildcalifornia.org if you would like to be a part of the rafting crew. Up to 10 volunteers can fit into the boats, and others can walk the river banks, in the area in search of trash. Rafts, paddles, life vests and trash bags will be provided for rafters. Please bring your own snacks, water, gloves, water friendly gear, a warm jacket and layers in case it gets hot.

Directions: 101 north of Arcata to 299 exit. 1st exit, take right at stop sign (Guintoli Ln.), then left at next stop sign (West End Rd.). Go 2 miles to a left at Warren Creek Rd. Drive slowly, pass under train tressel, then up hill to 1st driveway on the left. Please meet at the parking lot at 8:45am so we can be floating by 9.

HOEDOWN

After the clean-up, volunteers will celebrate by boogying down at the Earth Day Hoedown, which will be in the afternoon from 2-6pm. Admission to the Hoedown will be FREE to cleanup volunteers!

The Hoedown will take place at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center at 220 Stamps Lane in Manila featuring music by Lyndsey Battle and the Striped Pig String Band with barn dance calling by Nigella Mahal. Beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages and food from the Tako Faktory will be available. In addition to the music and barn dance, a silent auction, live painting by Matt Beard, and a family games and kids corner will keep everybody entertained.

EPIC invites you to join us for an educational hike in the Headwaters Forest Reserve on Saturday April 18, 2015. This guided educational hike will be led by Rob DiPerna, EPIC’s California Forest and Wildlife Advocate. We will discuss the history of the struggle to protect Headwaters Forest, the mechanisms that created the Headwaters Forest Reserve, and the contemporary challenges to land management in the Elk River watershed. The hike will originate from the Headwaters Forest Reserve South Fork Elk River trailhead, at the end of Elk River road, just south of Eureka, CA at 10 a.m. on Saturday April 18th. This hike will cover six miles, and will take approximately 2-3 hours to complete. The hike along the South Fork Elk River trail for these six miles will be easy to moderate difficulty. Please come prepared with water, food, and appropriate hiking attire. For more information, please contact EPIC at: 707-822-7711. Hope to see you there!

On behalf of the Environmental Protection Information Center, event coordinators Amber Shelton, Mitra Abidi and Natalynne DeLapp would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who turned out on Friday, March 27th to help make the Moonalice fundraiser a successful event! Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate activists that have put their all into environmental advocacy and restoration work to make our community a better place for the forests, rivers and wildlife that we share this beautiful land with. The event began many years ago as the Pisces Party to support the work of Richard Gienger and his forest protection and watershed restoration efforts that have been at the core of EPIC’s work for decades. This year, in addition to honoring Richard, EPIC also recognized the Eel River Cleanup Project (ERCP), which Mike Miller breathed new life into a few years ago, and with the social networking efforts of Amy Machado, Chris Anderson and Brian St. Clair, the cleanup became a team effort to get trash out of the river and help keep it clean. The proceeds from the event benefited EPIC’s forest advocacy work in general that is done by a number of Epicureans. It is people like this who inspire us to continue the work we do, and who make us grateful to have such a wonderful community that has made 38 years of environmental advocacy work possible.

A special thank you goes out to the artists and local businesses that made contributions to the event. A huge thank you goes out to Moonalice for rocking the house with their psychedelic music and light show and for gifting attendees with beautiful artistic posters, to Dian Patterson for her amazing songs and beautiful voice, to Sue’s Organics for catering a delicious meal and Bergin Sipila Wines for donating quality wine. Thank you to Eureka Natural Foods, Wildberries Marketplace, Signature Coffee, Mad River Brewery, Kathleen Bryson, Redway Liquor and Rays Food Place in Garberville for contributing raffle items, food for the event and for selling tickets.

So many volunteers put their all into promoting the event, creating a welcoming atmosphere and producing a fabulous meal and a stunning show. A huge thank you goes out to Sue Maloney and her kitchen crew Barbara Kennedy, Leo Power, Lois Cordova, Michael McKaskle, Barley, Marcy Olson, Dan Reiss, Chip Tittmann and Wes Demarco for whipping up a delicious organic feast. Thanks to Bobby Shearer for booking Moonalice, Dian Griffith for welcoming people at the front door, Tom Wheeler for doing the dishes, to Lucy Allen for serving dessert and Gisele Albertine and Rob Diperna for helping setup and staffing the Dutch raffle table. Thank you to Bob Special, Caelidh Liddell and the Funk House crew for helping with cleanup. Thanks to Elizabeth Morgan for rocking it all day and night from setup to kitchen to cleanup. Thank you to Rob Fishman, Nat Pennington, Josh Brown, Erin Leonard and Megan Smith for serving up drinks to keep us going all night long.

Thank you to Tanya Lynne for helping with dishes, Cecilia Lanman for bringing scrumptious desserts, and to Rob Seifert, JIM FULTON, Eric, Gage & Johnny for helping with the sound, light and stage effects. A special thank you goes out to KMUD, Redwood Times, the Independent, Lost Coast Communications, KZYX, Jama Chaplin, BR, Lauren Oliver and Karin the publicist for promoting the event.

And many thanks to anyone who contributed but may not have been included in this publication, we appreciate all of your contributions and look forward to the next time we are all brought together for a common cause. When it came time to recognize those who were important to the EPIC organization, it became apparent that just about everyone who filled the room was deeply involved with EPIC at some capacity. This is the kind of community that makes a difference. Thanks to each and every one of you, your participation fuels our forest protection efforts.

Roll out the redwood carpet, get out under the stars, and party for redwoods and rainbows! Aqueerius Productions is proud to present the classy, fun and colorful, Crab N’ Drag, a celebrity drag themed crab dinner and dance party, to benefit EPIC and Humboldt Pride.

EPIC is dedicated to the protection and restoration of the forests of Northwestern California, and Humboldt Pride seeks to educate and energize the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer community and our allies.

Come out and dance the night away in your glitz and glamour to shine like the star that you are, and enjoy a delicious dinner with fabulous entertainment and a full bar.

The theme “Under the Stars” encourages the public to dress as a STAR including but not limited to a celebrity, rock star, pop star, famous person, fictional character, comedian, super star, bright n’ shiny sun star, sea star, the star that YOU are!!! get creative and shine bright!

Awards for Kingest King, Queenest Queen, and Queerest Queer!

Exciting entertainment will include, the performing troupe Circus of The Elements, the all-drag boy band Girrrls 2 Men, Fushia Rae, the newly crowned local celebrity, Mizz Mr. Humboldt, and the Ho-stess with the mostess Mantrikka Ho will dazzle us throughout the evening.

DJ Anya will bring on the booty shakin’, with her sassy electro beats mashed with nostalgic hip-hop sounds to create an instant dance party!

Seduce your taste buds with a local and sustainably caught dungeness crab & oyster dinner with local grown organic greens and quinoa with vegan option and desert! Available for purchase at the event, dinner will be served till we run out.

Doors open at 6pm, dinner will be served from 6:00-8:00 and music goes until midnight. Tickets are $10and includes entertainment and DJ dance party! Dinner will be available for separate purchase at the event and will feature a crab and oyster dinner and a vegan option for ~$15 (prices may vary due to market value). 18+ Adults Only.

Contact Kelly@wildcalifornia.org or call EPIC 822-7711 for questions or to volunteer. Contact illuminateyourevent@gmail.com for stage and performing information. We are coming together to celebrate our differences and to share in an important cause in this open and affirming venue. People of all genders and persuasions are welcome and we’d love to have any and all join us to support EPIC and Humboldt Pride. Dance for biodiversity and diversity! Party for redwoods and rainbows!

An EPIC Evening at The Palm, brings Eclectic Art, Sultry Jazz, Spicy Burlesque and a Cocktail Dance Party to the Historic Eureka Inn.

Burningleaf Productions is proud to present, An EPIC Evening at the Palm, a grand and swanky cocktail party fundraiser for the Environmental Protection Information Center. EPIC is dedicated to the protection and restoration of the forests of Northwestern California.

Come out in your glamour and glitz to sip some cocktails, enjoy eclectic art, listen to live jazz, be seduced by burlesque and dance the night away at the Palm lounge in the Historic Eureka Inn on December 6th. Hosted by the newly crowned “Mr. Humboldt”, Comedian, John McClurg, will entertain and enliven throughout night.

Start out the evening early and come celebrate Arts Alive! with a collaborative art show including four local artists exhibiting their works beginning at 7pm. Live music will the fill the air with a classy Jazz trio comprised of Brigette Brannan, Marcia Mendels and Chris Manspeaker .

DJ COPPERTON3 will bring the party to the next level at 9pm, as the audience prepares to be enraptured by Southern Humboldt’s Bada Bling! Burlesque. Bringing a sizzling array of performances to this intimate setting will certainly spice things up on this vivacious occasion.

DJ Jsun, founder of the Deep Groove Society will keep things shaking with his flirty and fluid house music. And to top the night off, everyone’s favorite Brazilian, DJ Marjo Lak brings a buttery bounce with her eclectic, tribal fusion, swinging house beats.

Tickets for an EPIC Evening at the Palm available at the door. Tickets will be on sale at the door at 518 7th St in Eureka for a sliding scale of $15-$25. Art Reception opens at 7pm with live jazz. Doors for Burlesque show & DJ’s 9pm. This is a 21 and over event. Special room rates offered at the Eureka Inn. Call (707)497-6093 to inquire. For more Information contact Jenny Metz at 707-223-3849 or burningleaf@asis.com.

On Friday, November 7th, several hundred North Coast community members celebrated 37 years of forest and wildlife protection with EPIC at their annual Fall Celebration. The staff and board of EPIC would like to thank all of the community members, volunteers and businesses that made it possible to throw an incredibly entertaining and successful event!

A HUGE thank you to Chef Luke Patterson, owner of The Other Place for designing and coordinating the Farm to Table Dinner. Friends and neighbors shared an exceptionally prepared and locally sourced feast, much of which was donated by Humboldt County farmers, while listening to the musical stylings of singer-songwriter Joannne Rand. Dave Bergin owner of Bergin-Siplia Winery and Lina Carro owner of Violet-Green Winery provided an amazing selection of wines to complement the evening’s dinner offerings.

David and Ellen Drell, founders of the Willits Environmental Center, received EPIC’s 2014 Sempervirens Award to honor their lifetime achievement in environmental activism. The Drells are best known for their efforts opposing Caltrans’ Willits Bypass, they are also lifelong forest protectors and wilderness advocates who successfully campaigned to add more than 140,000 acres of forest into the Federal Wilderness System. David and Ellen are an inspiration to us at EPIC for their commitment to the community, and to each other—thank you for all of you do for the planet!

Thank you to the Bay Area’s HOUSE OF FLOYD who rocked the house with an elaborate concert and laser show that immersed the audience in the atmospheric authenticity of light and sound of the original Pink Floyd. Thank you to KMUD for providing airtime and publicity for the event. We thank all of our volunteers who worked tirelessly on this event, and we really can’t thank them enough. They came early, stayed late, worked with aching feet, scrubbed dishes, helped raise money, contributed money, and did their absolute best to make our event wonderful while keeping smiles on their faces even after ridiculously long hours. A special thank you to Kelly Karaba for emceeing the event with style and grace; and congratulations to EPIC’s 2014 Volunteer of the Year, Kellie St. James, for her willingness to tackle any task with enthusiasm.

We are profoundly grateful for the financial and emotional support of our community who keeps EPIC strong and healthy. As we move forward into 2015 and beyond, we will work together to create a healthy and connected forested ecosystem with clean air, ample cold water, abundant native flora and fauna and to ensure our quality of life for now and for future generations.

Join us for EPIC’s 37th Anniversary Fall Celebration on Friday, November 7th at the Mateel Community Center! Share a gourmet four-course Farm-to-Table, family style meal with the forest protection community and enjoy a cosmic music and light show by House of Floyd. This event is a fundraiser for EPIC’s ongoing work to protect wild places and the forests that characterize the one of a kind redwood region that we all know and love.

During dinner, EPIC will hold an award ceremony to present the Sempervirens Award for Lifetime Achievement in Environmental Advocacy to activists Ellen and David Drell who have dedicated a lifetime of work to the environmental movement, while Chef Luke Patterson will be presenting a locally sourced farm-to-table dinner feast that will include this mouth watering menu:

Seating is limited and dinner tickets must be purchased by October 31, so don’t wait — get them while they last!

Local crafters, vendors, and artists have donated a wealth of items for this year’s silent auction, with something for everyone. This will be great place to get your holiday gifts for your family and friends with proceeds going to an increasingly important cause. The extravagant silent auction will feature literally hundreds of items including gift baskets, books, hats, candles, massage oils, paintings, pottery, jewelry, a hand-painted guitar, clothes, carvings and more! Click here to learn more about the event.

Tuesday, October 7th at the Arcata Theatre Lounge.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is a call to action. At Wild & Scenic, film goers are transformed into a congregation of committed activists, dedicated to saving our increasingly threatened planet. We show environmental and adventure films that illustrate the Earth’s beauty, the challenges facing our planet, and the work communities are doing to protect the environment. Through these films, Wild & Scenic both informs people about the state of the world and inspires them to take action. Wild & Scenic raises resources and awareness for EPIC’s initiatives to recover Northwest California’s native species and to protect and restore the redwood forest ecosystem.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the EPIC Office at 145 South G Street, Suite A in Arcata. Call 822-7711 for more information.

Doors open at 6pm. Prices are TBA.

2014 Film Selections

From The Spawning Grounds Thomas B. Dunklin

Plunge into the clear cold water of the Salmon River and get a fish-eye view of the river and its inhabitants. The underwater footage of salmon and steelhead is accompanied by a song and poem from Karuk artist Brian D. Tripp. (USA, 2011, 3 min)

Fixing the Earth – One Watershed at a Time Thomas B. Dunklin

The Yurok Tribe’s Fisheries Program use ancient cultural ethics to manage and restore the Chinook and Coho salmon of the Klamath River. This film presents the historic context of the tribe’s struggle to affirm their fishing rights and to fully participate in the management Klamath fisheries today and into the future. (USA, 2013, 19 min)

Sacred Headwaters Paul Colangelo

The shared birthplace of three salmon rivers in Northern Canada, the traditional territory of the Tahltan First Nation, and home to an incredible ecosystem of large mammals, the Sacred Headwaters is at risk of losing all that makes it sacred to resource extraction. (Canada, 2012, 4 min)

Kara Women Speak Jane Baldwin

A Kara woman muses about her concerns for the survival of her people. The Kara are a community of indigenous people living along the Omo River in Southwestern Ethiopia. Ethiopian government projects now threaten these areas and their populations. The construction of the foreign financed Gibe III hydroelectric dam, being built on the upper Omo River, and vast tracts of rich farmland have been leased to foreign corporations, displacing indigenous people from their ancestral land without compensation. Her words reflect the uncertain fate of all agro-pastoralists living in the Omo River-Lake Turkana watershed. www.karatribe.com (Ethiopia, 6min)

Environmental Lawyers and the Protection of Sharks Jeff Litton

Sharks are amazing animals that provide healthy ocean ecosystems, and a billion dollar dive industry. Yet 3 sharks are removed from our ocean every second, and Planet Earth can’t keep up. While supply and demand mean life or death for shark species, this innovative film targets environmental lawyers as the key players to stop illegal fishing, and bring about environmental justice for sharks. (Ecuador, 2013, 13 min)

When your city is overflowing with plastic bags, how will you react? Jack Green, head of the Department of the Environment, is on a mission to rid the city of its plastic bag scourge. (USA, 2013, 2 min)

COMPOST-a-lujah! Christopher Paetkau, Trevor Gill

Let’s face it: composting isn’t the most glamorous of topics or activities. It can be dirty, rotten, and smelly. But it doesn’t have to be. Meet Linda Olsen – master composter. (Canada, 2012, 3 min)

The Ground to the Clouds Denise Zmekhol

Fifty years ago Jane Goodall set out to study the wild chimpanzees of Tanzania with little more than a pair of second-hand binoculars, some pencils and a notebook. Now her team uses mobile devices, satellite imagery and cloud-based mapping technologies to create a comprehensive picture of the conservation challenges in the Congo Basin. This transformational approach to habitat conservation is part of a global effort to monitor natural resources … and is giving hope to the survival of endangered chimpanzee populations. (Tanzania, 2013, 8 min)

Raptor Blues Ian Timothy

A musical stop motion animation explaining the dangerous effects of rodenticides on birds of prey in a way that everyone can understand. (USA, 2013, 2 min)

Jonathan Deal is leading a concerted campaign against a fracking project that threatens the Karoo, where sparse desert and majestic mountains converge to create an agriculture heartland and flourishing wildlife reserves in South Africa. (USA/S.Africa, 2013, 4.5min)

The New Environmentalists: Weaving A Movement John Antonelli, Barry Schienberg, Todd Miro’

When Indonesian marble mining companies began to exploit the pristine mountains surrounding her West Timor homeland, Mama Aleta Baun organized the villagers in a weaving protest that lasted months and received international recognition. (USA/Indonesia, 2013, 4.5min)

Iraq’s Mesopatamia Marshes had been a vital life force for centuries until Saddam Hussein destroyed them with a devastating military maneuver. Azzam Alwash has taken on the challenge

Damocracy Todd Southgate, Tolga Temuge, Doga Dernegi

Damocracy is a short documentary that exposes the myth of dams as ‘green’ energy through two examples from Amazonia and Mesopotamia: the Belo Monte Dam in Brazil and the Ilisu Dam in Turkey. The documentary shows the potential disasters these dams would cause on cultural heritage, wildlife and local communities who rely on the rich natural resources provided by the Tigris and Xingu rivers. The film also questions the sanity of climate change solutions that depend on the destruction of ‘the lungs of the Earth’ and ‘the cradle of civilization’. It is a call to action to save this priceless natural and cultural heritage being gambled for the interests of a few. No Awards (Brazil & Turkey, 2012, 34 min)

Biodiversity. It’s in the rivers of the Amazon, the jungles of Borneo, the coral reefs of Belize… oh, and the creeks of Tennessee. That’s right, southern Appalachia is a littleknown hotspot for aquatic life and is home to some wildly diverse fish, mussels, salamanders, crayfish and other critters. Hidden Rivers takes an immersive look at the little-known creatures of these waters, their striking beauty and extreme vulnerability. The films also reveal how some Southerners are finding new ways to explore and celebrate this precious life, and reminding us all that biodiversity is everywhere and rivers are always deeper than you think! (USA, 2013, 4 min)

A world on Notice: Women at the Front Lines of Climate Change Terra Nyssa, Osprey Orielle Lake

We are headed toward a potential 4 degrees Celsius rise in global temperature over the next decades that will create unprecedented havoc for our children and future generations. Women are no longer willing to stand by when so much is at stake. Women are on the front lines of Climate Change Solutions. Fierce and compassionate women worldwide are committed to making a difference in the urgency of climate change. Join the journey as the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN International) is heating up! (USA, 2013, 9 min)

In a cooperative effort Mad River Alliance, North Coast Environmental Center, Friends of the Dunes, Environmental Protection Information Center, Humboldt Baykeeper, Friends of the Eel River, Trees Foundation, Surfrider Foundation and Dell’ Arte International, are gathering for a day of restoration, Earth clean-up, and fun!

Saturday April 19th from 9 am till noon, work to clean-up and restore the earth, later from 3-7pm put your hoe down to dance and celebrate!

EPIC and the Mad River Alliance are joining forces to clean-up the Mad River. Meet at Stardough’s in (448 Railroad Ave. Bluelake) at 9am. Bring work gloves, mud boots and some friends! Click here to RSVP.

Later that same day… enjoy the Second Annual Earth Day Hoedown, April 19th from 3-7pm, at the Coastal Nature Center!

EPIC is proud to host El Radio Fantastique at the Arcata Playhouse (1251 9th St.) Thursday, April 3. The Playhouse provides the perfect intimate and theatrical atmosphere for guests to enjoy the wild musical styling of El Radio Fantastique. Come thirsty and hungry. Doors open at 6:30 for specialty cocktails, beer, wine and delicious morsels. Show starts at 8pm. $12-20 sliding scale.

El Radio Fantastique features the beautifully dark songwriting of frontman and multi-instrumentalist Giovanni Di Morente. Di Morente is no stranger to the spotlight. As a member of the pop duo Times Two in the late 1980’s,he and his partner made a fairly standard pact with the Devil. In return for sacrificing their musical standards and artistic control, they scored a top 40 Billboard hit, made an appearance on American Bandstand with Dick Clark, and even were featured in the teenybopper staple magazine Tiger Beat.

El Radio Fantastique represents musical redemption for Di Morente, a way to wash away his musical sins of the past… and he is relishing the opportunity to rise again, this time with his musical integrity fully intact. His influences are as diverse as can be, citing Henry Mancini, Nina Simone, Morgana King, Big Maybelle, Louis Prima, Whispering Jack Smith , Julie London, Jeri Southern, Leiber and Stoller, Burundi music, Sex Pistols, Public Enemy, and The Beatles as being the ones he has most tried to emulate. Other influences include pieces of soundtracks, bits of nursery rhymes, 50’s instrumental lounge, noise, old punk rock, classical pieces, forgotten jazz, marching band, hip hop, gospel, and African pop.“When I write songs,” DiMorente says, “I try to tap into my subconscious while I am awake.”

The band’s latest album is Waking The Dead. The first single off the album, ‘How Does It Make You Feel?’, was a semi-finalist in The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) whose judges include Tom Waits, Frank Black, and Suzanne Vega. The album also charted in the Top 10 on the highly influential KALX radio station in Berkeley, CA. As Paul Liberatore of the Marin Independent Journal wrote in his review, “There is no way to capture the energy and excitement of El Radio’s live show on a studio recording, but the arrangements and instrumentation on this album are unfailingly inventive and often surprising. ‘Waking the Dead’ is the kind of showcase CD that could break this band onto the national scene.”El Radio Fantastique’s album Waking The Dead can be purchased on their website www.elradiofantastique.com or on iTunes.

All proceeds from the evening benefit the continued protection of Northern California’s incredible ecosystems!

EPIC hosts two highly acclaimed and well-regarded authors and environmental activists, Derrick Jensen on Thursday, February 27 in the Kate Buchanan Room and Rod Coronado on Thursday, May 1st in the Native Forum. This is a great opportunity to hear the insights, beliefs and principals that have guided these longtime advocates, and engage in discussions about the future of sustainable life.

Acclaimed author, Derrick Jensen, is hailed as the philosopher poet of the ecological movement, Derrick Jensen is the best-selling author of A Language Older than Words and Endgame, among many others. Author, teacher, activist, small farmer, and leading voice of uncompromising dissent, he regularly stirs auditoriums across the country. He was named one of Utne Reader’s “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World” and won the Eric Hoffer Award in 2008.

The event will provide the audience with an opportunity to hear about Derrick’s beliefs and philosophy, and ask him questions and engage in conversation about how we can become a more sustainable society.

Rod Coronado is a longtime activist and former prisoner. He is an advocate for the Animal Liberation Front and a spokesperson for the Earth Liberation Front. He was a crew member of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and a member of the editorial collective of the Earth First! Journal.

A former proponent of the use of direct action to end what he sees as cruelty to animals and destruction of the environment, Coronado was jailed in 1995 in connection with an arson attack on research facilities at Michigan State University. He has served several prison sentences and has been repeatedly labeled a “terrorist” by the F.B.I.

In 2006, while imprisoned for felony conspiracy and awaiting trial on further charges, Coronado expressed a change in his personal philosophy inspired by fatherhood. In an open letter, he wrote, “Don’t ask me how to burn down a building. Ask me how to grow watermelons or how to explain nature to a child,” explaining that he wants to be remembered, not as a “man of destruction but [as] a human believer in peace and love for all.”

We’re asking for donations at the door to help with the cost of this tour: $5 for students & $10 for community members. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

A total Electronic Dance Music experience in the heart of southern Humboldt county – the Mateel Community Center will be transformed for one night only into “Club Mateel” with towers of thundering speakers and jaw dropping FX lighting. This will be something truly special, so expect all of the DJ’s to bring their “A” game — and best of all this is a benefit event for us at EPIC so come one and come all because this is nothing short of a win win situation!

EPIC is excited to be a part of this event because of the significance of teaming up with an expert local producer such as Future Productions, demonstrating that EPIC is connecting with a broad cross-section of people in our community. It is important to our organization to merge contemporary culture with concrete efforts to secure the necessary resources to advocate effectively for the protection of human and natural communities on the North Coast of California.

Full bar for 21 and up. Ages 13 and up welcome.

Walk in tickets available at People’s Records Arcata, the Works Eureka, Redway Liquors, and SHC Garberville.

Want to learn more about forest conservation on the Redwood Coast? Ready to get more involved with the governance of the North Coast’s premier independent public interest advocacy organization? EPIC members and Wild California lovers are invited to attend the second of our Fall 2013 Membership Meetings on Friday, December 6, at the EPIC office in Arcata. The previous EPIC membership meeting was held on Thursday, November 14, in Redway.

Join EPIC to vote for and confirm the 2014 EPIC Board of Directors, and discuss and consider important changes in our organization by-laws that will facilitate greater membership participation in the organization.

Connect with EPIC staff and Board of Directors to learn about biodiversity conservation strategies for the North Coast, discuss how to promote meaningful public participation on issues critical to our bioregion, and provide input for EPIC’s current and future campaigns! At this meeting we will elect and confirm the 2014 Board of Directors. Current EPIC members have voting rights (if you would like to vote for the 2014 Board of Directors, please join or renew your membership here).

The staff and board of the Environmental Protection Information Center would like to thank all of the community members and businesses that made it possible to throw an incredibly entertaining and successful Dia de los Muertos benefit, on Friday, November 1st at the Mateel Community Center. The 36th Annual Fall Celebration was attended by over 500 people who turned out to show their grass roots support for EPIC.

A HUGE thank you to volunteers Tryphena Lewis and Natalia Boyce, and their kitchen crew, for their contribution to the event, their help and talents allow us to pull off our events with massive style and grace! Together they prepared the gourmet flavors for our dinner, drink and dessert menus with exceptional taste, eye for detail, endless reserves of energy–and all at no charge to EPIC! Their volunteer contributions puts our supporter dollars directly into the continued protection and restoration of the redwood ecosystems. We thank all of our volunteers who worked tirelessly on this event, and we really can’t thank them enough. They came early, stayed late, worked with aching feet, scrubbed dishes, helped raise money, contributed money, and did their absolute best to make our event wonderful while keeping smiles on their faces even after ridiculously long hours.

A special thank you to Katie Dodd, Galen O’Toole, Gabriel Salazar, Jeffrey Hinton, Rob Fishman, Angelina Lasko, Kelly Karaba, Wesley DeMarco, Stephen Luther, Kalyn Bocast, Farmer, Greenleaf, Monday, Tove Patterson, Joe Metzger, Brandon Norris, Christinia Hunter, Emilee Quakenbush, Arturo Marcos, Karla Velasco, Vanessa Algarra, Shawn Smith, and possibly a few more, who’s names we’re forgetting, but that we are also extremely grateful too. Thank you to Chakeeta Marie and the Circus of the Elements for dazzling guests with their fire dances. And of course, a huge thank you goes out to Indubious, New Kingston, resident D.J. Nat Pennington, and the Coup for rocking the house with some EPIC beats!